Studio Production

Board Opener What is backlight?

Board Opener What is backlight? A light used in production that is positioned behind the talent and designed to eliminate the shadows caused by the main light.

This is called Three Point Lighting Lighting Counts Three lights are commonly used for  studio lighting.  1. Key Light 2. Fill Light 3. Backlight This is called Three Point Lighting http://zimmer.csufresno.edu/~candace/design1.htm

Studio Vocabulary Key light – Main source of light in a video production, usually the brightest one facing the talent.

KEY LIGHT This light is placed at the side and slightly higher than the subject. It gives form to the subject and is usually the brightest light in the shot. Often this is the only light in the scene that casts shadows.

Studio Vocabulary Fill light – a light used in studio production designed to fill in and eliminate shadow areas caused by the use of a key light.

Studio Vocabulary Fill light – a light used in studio production designed to fill in and eliminate shadow areas caused by the use of a key light. The fill light softens the shadows by slightly filling them in while lightening up the dark side of the subject.  The fill light is almost always less bright than the main light and is placed on the opposite side of the camera than the key light and is usually not as high. 

FILL LIGHT before after This light is placed on the opposite side of the key light to light up the shadow areas. Sometimes fill lights are provided by white boards that bounce spill lights back to the subject. before after

Studio Vocabulary Backlight A light used in production that is positioned behind the talent and designed to eliminate the shadows caused by the key light on background sets and curtains.

BACKLIGHT This light serves two purposes – to separate the subject from the background, and to glamorize the subject by casting a halo light around the subject's outline. Of the three lights, this light is the most unnatural, so you should try not to use it. Objects could appear flat if you don't light them properly.

Studio Vocabulary Background light (Sometimes there is a 4th light) The background light only lights the background. Such as curtains like our blue ones or a fancy set. They are different than the backlight because they don’t light the subject or talent, they light the set behind the talent.

Studio Vocabulary Gels – Colored squares of plastic material used on the front of lights to provide colored lighting on backgrounds and sets.

Studio Vocabulary Scrim – a fiber or plastic covering placed on the front of a lighting fixture to diffuse or “spread out” the light.

Studio Vocabulary Spotmeter – a device that measures the intensity of reflected light, as on a lighted set. http://zimmer.csufresno.edu/~candace/measure1.htm

key light, fill light and back light Studio Vocabulary Review Name the 3 main lights used in three point lighting? key light, fill light and back light What 4th light is sometimes used to light the set only? Background light Which of these lights is the brightest? Key light Which light is used to separate the talent from the background? Backlight

Studio Vocabulary Review Fill in the blanks… backlight Key light Fill light

Studio Vocabulary Slate – a device that keeps track of programming information such as scene number and time code. http://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/162598

Studio Vocabulary Teleprompter – an electronic form of cue cards that displays the script in front of the camera so that the talent can look up at the camera while reading lines. http://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/162598

Studio Vocabulary Cycloroma or cyc – a seamless cloth or curtain used to make a background. An example is the curtain in our studio.

Studio Vocabulary Flat – a wooden frame containing fabric or other lightweight materials used as backgrounds for studio sets.